Patricia Leslie is Director of the Social Work Program at Point Loma Nazarene University and has extensive experience with both private and public sector agencies, with a special emphasis on programs and services for homeless and other marginalized groups. Through this work she has touched the lives of hundreds of people challenged by homelessness, joblessness, domestic violence, substance abuse or mental illness. Pat is recognized for understanding housing challenges at both the “in the weeds” detail and policy perspectives.

Professor Cook has been at PLNU since 2008. As a generalist social worker she brings a broad knowledge to the department as she teaches courses in social work and sociology as well as supervises student interns. Her professional background has primarily focused on macro social work with an emphasis on policy education/advocacy; however, she also has direct practice experience with children and families in day-treatment facilities, child welfare services, and wraparound services. 

Monique Sawyer loves to share her favorite life quote, from Rev. Howard Thurman, which explains the nature of her path to nursing education: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” A spark was ignited within Sawyer the first time she taught a lecture in front of a classroom, and she knew right then, as a nursing student at PLNU, that she would find a way to teaching one day.

Through the privilege of being part of the faculty at PLNU, Michelle Federe Riingen has the opportunity to teach courses at the pre-nursing, sophomore, senior, RN-BSN, and graduate levels. Her vocation as a nurse is synonymous with her mission field, in which she hopes to be a witness to new and experienced nurses alike as they partner to learn and serve others. To whom much is given, much will be required. (Luke 12:48)

Dr. Mary Adams came to PLNU with six years of teaching experience in the Chicagoland area. Prior to teaching, she was a staff nurse in both a large teaching hospital and smaller community hospital. Her background is in trauma ICU, labor and delivery, and home care. She currently teaches in the graduate and undergraduate nursing programs as well as the simulation lab.

James Wicks, Professor of Film and Media Studies, grew up in Taiwan and teaches Narrative and Documentary Film, Scriptwriting for TV and Film, and Intro to TV & Film Production in San Diego, California. His Ph.D. in Film Studies (Cultural Studies section), with an emphasis on Chinese Cinema, was received from the Literature program at the University of California, San Diego in 2010. He has taught at PLNU since 2009 and joined the Department of Communication Studies in 2021.

Dr. Bettina Tate Pedersen is professor of literature at PLNU, where she teaches British and world literature, women writers, literary theory, and academic writing. She also teaches in the interdisciplinary women’s studies minor program and the honors program. She served as LJWL Department chair from 2011 – 2014 and as literature section head for many years. Pedersen completed her doctorate at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 1997. She is co-author/editor, with Allyson Jule, of Being Feminist, Being Christian (Palgrave 2006, pbk.

"I can teach my employees how to do a job, but I cannot teach them how to write," exclaimed a well respected banker in LA who was frustrated with not being able to find people to hire who knew how to write well. With this in mind, Charlene Pate teaches college composition; created the course Writing Theory and Pedagogy; and opened and directs the Writers' Studio, a writing center where college composition students work alongside theoretically trained student writing consultants. The focus in the classroom as well as in the Writers' Stud